Metal powder electrolysis: The shape of powder particles as a function of the exchange current density and overpotential for hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract

The short survey of the dependence of the shape of electrolytically produced powder particles on the exchange current density for metal deposition and overpotential for hydrogen evolution reaction is presented. The decrease of the exchange current density leads to a branching of dendrites and their transformation from needle-like and the two-dimensional (2D) fern-like to the three-dimensional (3D) pine-like shapes. Vigorous hydrogen evolution inhibits the dendritic growth leading to a formation of cauliflower-like and the spongy-like particles. The very thin needles were obtained by molten salt electrolysis. Mechanisms responsible for the formation of both the dendritic (the general theory of disperse deposits formation) and the cauliflower-like and the spongy-like particles (the concept of „effective overpotential”) were also mentioned. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 172046]

Keywords

• electrolysis
• powder
• particles
• scanning electron microscope (sem)